


Abandoned Quiche

by Frisk_10



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Ambiguous-Gender Frisk, Child Abandonment, Child Neglect, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Non-Binary Frisk, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Pacifist Route, Spoilers - Pacifist Route, later chapters will be 2nd person, starts off as 3rd person
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-07
Updated: 2016-01-01
Packaged: 2018-04-30 12:07:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5163257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frisk_10/pseuds/Frisk_10
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I just couldn't handle the responsibility...<br/>You are told to sit and wait, they will be right back.</p><p>Frisk... Why did you come here? Everyone knows the legend, right...? "Travellers who climb Mt. Ebott are said to disappear." ... Frisk. Why would you ever climb a mountain like that? Was it foolishness? Was it fate?</p><p>A story about how Frisk ends up climbing Mt. Ebott and what happens after they free the Underground.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue - The Fall

**Author's Note:**

> This is something I typed out in my free time and I wondered if anyone would be interested in reading it. The first chapter is all in third person, but the chapters following the prologue will be 2nd person from Frisk's POV.

The sky rumbled ominously in warning. Dark, heavy thunder clouds laden with rain blotted out the sun, swiftly transforming the warm August morning into a cold, somber afternoon. A small child, a single speck of color on the dreary setting before them, shivered and hunched against the biting wind.

Two hours. Two long hours had the child waited for the promised return of their guardian. Now, most children at this point would have undoubtedly wandered off in search of their parents or some form of stimulation to relieve themselves of the boredom. Frisk, however, the forlorn child in a striped sweater sitting lonely at a bus stop, not like most children. They were very patient and loyal to a fault. After all, they had been waiting their entire life for many things and were very used to it.

Three hours.

This small child had a big heart. They trusted that people would keep their word. They felt loved. The world had yet to show them what love really was. Parents were supposed to love, so Frisk assumed they did. After all, they almost always eventually came back. Even if they were usually three hours late picking them up from school, they still came. And that was something. Plus they always apologized to the teachers. They had to be sincere if they apologized. That is what they had taught them. Frisk, always trying to find good in a situation, enjoyed the company of the teachers, even if they themself rarely provided to the conversation . The teachers loved them, though they always asked personal questions whenever their parents were especially late.  
Frisk appreciated their concern, but found it silly. Their parents weren’t bad people like they seemed to think.

Four hours.

At this point, the sky had opened and was pouring down icy rain. Frisk sat dry under the overhang, breath coming out in chilly white puffs. They drew their legs up to their chest, ignoring their hunger, and leaned against the metal wall that held the roof of the bus stop.  
They called for their mother, wondering if she had gotten lost, or forgotten where Frisk had been left.  
...but nobody came.  
It was probably because the rain was loud and the road slippery. She probably couldn’t hear them, and didn’t want to drive in dangerous weather…. Frisk always had an explanation.

Five hours.

Frisk was asleep. The sky had stopped raining. It was approaching evening. They had never been outside for so long before. The chirping of crickets startled them awake. At some point, the child felt their hopes waver. It had been so long. As they sat beside a dusty, abandoned road at the foot of a mountain they had only heard about in whispers and news reports, they fished through their pockets trying to find something to eat. They found nothing.

Six hours.

Frisk was no longer sitting on the bench. They had no idea how to get home, so they had decided to scale the mountain to get a better view of their surroundings. Anything was better than sitting alone at that bench for any longer. As they trudged through mud and puddles, they felt nervous the further they walked, apprehension growing. Would they know how to get back to the bench?  
They felt faint with hunger, so they steeled themselves and continued onward. A distant growl of thunder made them quicken their step, hurrying through the trees.  
They ducked into a cavern and hesitated where they stood, staring into a wide, yawning cavernous maw in the earth. It was larger than any pit they had ever seen. It wasn't fear that filled them at the sight. No, it was the thrill of finding something new and adventurous. A small feeling of satisfaction left them smiling slightly. They had discovered a secret, one that not even their parents knew! Well, at least Frisk wanted to think it was their secret.  
Whether they had climbed the mountain out of desperation or something more, the child no longer thought it was important. They were no longer fearful. What was this foreign feeling? They didn't have a word for it.  
They were... Determined.

Just a peek, Frisk rationalized as they approached the yawning gap before them. Just to see how far down it went. Their eyes sparkled as they stepped closer. They didn't see the web of roots that criss crossed and knotted along the cavern floor until it was too late and their foot was caught on a tangle, sending them tipping forward.  
Now they could see how deep the hole went. Despite the situation, that small curiosity was satisfied at this. Vertigo gripped them, sending their heart thrumming in their chest as they kept falling forward. There was no way to go but down. For some reason, they didn't fear for their safety. They felt exhilarated by the drop ahead of them.  
Their gut fluttered at the free falling sensation. They hung in suspended air for a moment as they plummeted. Idly, in the few seconds before they hit the ground, Frisk considered whether this fall would kill them. They weren't sure how they should feel, maybe a little frightened.

They landed on a soft bed of flowers.


	2. Prologue (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The journey to leave the underground and what happens when they finally make it to the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I lied, the 2nd person POV is starting next chapter. So much for not being confusing! This is just a continuation of the prologue. I'm skipping through the majority of the underground stuff because the focus of the story is after they get out. Just some more setup. Hahah sorry!

_What will you do when you meet a relentless killer? You'll die and you'll die and you'll die, until you tire of trying..._

 

No matter how many times Frisk repeated confrontations and trials, they never lost their caring nature. Despite being beaten many times, to the point of despair and frustration, they never fought back. Perhaps it was naivety that kept them confident.

At the end of it all, Frisk had managed to save every monster in the underground and walk into the sunrise with friends at their side. Well, every monster but one. Arguably, the unsaved monster wasn’t really alive anymore; they had died long ago.

Frisk's heart still tugged to think of them sitting all alone in that garden. Even if Flowey had been particularly nasty and challenged Frisk’s every belief, they were still a creature, and had once been a kid like them. They had tried to stay by Asriel's side for as long as they could, but eventually he had convinced Frisk to leave. Even then, they had left reluctantly, looking over their shoulder until Asriel and the bed of flowers were out of sight, promising that they would return as soon as they could.

 

When Frisk had returned to their friends, they felt like a much older and stronger individual, though they hadn't been in the underground much longer than a month. If that. It was hard to tell.

They stood proudly beside their new friends, their new family, watching dawn break on a new day. Then, slowly, the group began to split off. First the excitable Papyrus dashed off in pursuit of his immediate dreams. The stout, quieter brother Sans said something about keeping an eye on him and turned with a wide grin and winked at Frisk. Then, after realizing Sans wasn’t talking about doing anything himself, Undyne ran after Papyrus with a frustrated shriek, followed closely by Alphys. Asgore lingered awkwardly around the fringes before he, too, peeled away to give Frisk’s surrogate mother some space. Toriel turned, ruffling the child’s unkempt, choppy hair with a motherly smile.

"My child, what will you do now?" She asked softly.

Frisk stood quiet, shuffling their feet. What would they do now…? The question intimidated them. They hadn’t put much thought into what would happen if (when) they made it out of the Underground, instead letting themselves be swept up in the adventure. Now that they stood beside someone who truly cared about them, understanding dawned on them. This warmth they felt, the safety and happiness… This was what love was. Sans had told them, in the long hall before the King’s throne room, that they had gained love without gaining LOVE. This was what he had meant.

Truly now Frisk could say without any doubt in their heart that they were loved. “I want to stay with you.” And it was the truth.

Toriel was shocked at first, then she smiled. “If you really do not have any other place to go… I will do my best to take care of you, for as long as you need. Alright? Now, come along. The others are waiting for us.”

Frisk took her hand, smiling so warmly that it melted Toriel’s heart.

 

Though there was still a nagging feeling that something wasn't quite right.

 

>Save

Reset

 

__Only the fearless may proceed.__  
Brave ones, foolish ones.   
Both walk not the middle road. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any and all feedback is appreciated! Sorry for the boring chapter. I just didn't want to jump right into the rest of the story without a little more setup.


	3. One Step at a Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk has their hands full trying to be the ambassador of an entire race of monsters. Luckily for them, they aren't alone.

Integrating monsters into the human world after having been hidden away for a thousand years… wasn’t easy. The history of monsters had turned into stories, then myths, and eventually into legends that faded as time went on. The word “monster” got distorted over time, used to frighten children at bedtime and give stories a bad guy to hate.

You worked hard as the ambassador for the monsters in the next few months surrounding their sudden return, advocating for their rights and trying to mediate between disputes. But it was easy to forget that you were still a child, hardly 11. Although the public loved reminding the monsters of this fact. You weren't sure anyone really understood.

Your monster friends shielded you from the worst of it, but the news wasn't easy to avoid and the reporters were never quiet. You still ended up hearing about all the negative things the appearance of monsters had instigated in the year that followed the release of the monsters. It had come as a shock when the first news of a monster death at the hands of a human had reached you. And oh boy did you have your hands full trying to keep up with the legal jargon and paperwork that came with it. You never realized just how backwards the law was until you were forced to sit in front of a bench of judges to advocate for their rights.

Sans had become your unofficial bodyguard. He usually didn't attend meetings or conferences; when he did you suspected there had been another threat against you. Although he was hardly ever around in public, he always had this uncanny way of showing up whenever you needed him.

You had also noticed he had become more tense lately, keeping by your side. Even when he dozed, you noticed he was always keeping an eye out. Today wasn't any different.

"Sans," You quietly spoke, sitting beside him on a couch in a hotel lobby with Papyrus as you waited for Toriel's return. He made a motion like he'd heard you. "Do you know why I prefer camping in cabins?"

He knew the start of a joke when he heard one, so he humoured you. "No, why?"

Papyrus groaned before you had even said anything.

You grinned at him. "Because it's not in-tents."

Sans laughed loudly, ruffling your hair and mumbling about how he was so proud of you.

You told him that you had learned from the best. You were relieved to put aside the tension in the air. Papyrus was smiling, though he was trying hard not to show it.

Toriel returned to your little group. "I apologize. I hope I did not keep you three waiting long." She held out a set of room keys for each of you.

"It is quite alright!" Papyrus cheerfully assured her. "After all what kind of skeleton would I, the great Papyrus, be if I caved into impatience? Not one worthy of being in the Royal Guard!" He dramatically posed, gloved hand on his sternum.

Your friends had jokingly nicknamed the friend group "the royal guard". Undyne had explained that you were practically a little young royal, being the adopted child of a queen. Former queen, Toriel reminded everyone. You didn't mind the silly title. Papyrus had looked really happy when you had unofficially dubbed him knight and mascot (to his insistence) of the Royal guard. There had been a ceremony and everything. Alphys had let you borrow her animé replica sword and Asgore had put his massive cloak on your shoulders. Everyone had laughed as you were swallowed whole by the garment, only a tuft of warm brown hair stuck out. Remembering moments like those helped you get through particularly trying times.

You were brought back from your thoughts when Sans nudged your arm. You glanced at him in confusion. He handed you your room key.

"C'mon, knucklehead, you can daydream in the room."

"I'm not a knucklehead-- oof!" you were cut off by Sans' knuckles rubbing against your scalp. You shoved at him, but he only snickered and showed your head mercy. Toriel looked amused and a little put out, shaking her head with a chuckle at your antics. You wondered if this was what it felt to be part of a family.

You slowed your steps to wait for her, feeling warm and happy by her side. Sans didn't seem to mind. Though he appeared to be walking at a lazy pace, he still managed to stay ahead of the two of you. Papyrus, with his abundant energy and long legs, was already waiting by the room door.

"Slow! You are all so SLOW!" He taunted. You stuck your tongue out at him and giggled when he looked offended.

 

 

You were here for a conference. Ambassadors from several major countries and a few from countries you'd never heard of were there. Asgore, being the King of monsters, attended these kinds of events with you, along with a few of your friends. You were grateful for their support. They helped you when adults asked you pointed or complicated questions that you didn't understand. They liked giving you a hard time because you were just a kid.

Recently, though, they started getting mean. Sometimes they would say something that would make even some of the adults cringe.

Today was especially rough. You had been doing well answering their questions though you spoke so softly and you were so painfully shy that Asgore or Toriel would relay what you had said. Today, some people were intent on giving you a hard time about it.

"Why won't you let her speak for herself?" One man asked. Her? You frowned. You'd been over this before.

Thankfully, Toriel took up the question. "Frisk, THEY, are more comfortable this way."

"How do we know you're not just putting words in his mouth?" A woman snapped, folding her arms. You looked up at Toriel. She knew what you were thinking, bless her soul.

She spoke more deliberately this time. "They. And we have discussed this before in other --"

Someone interrupted. "Is it true that Frisk hasn't even attempted to contact their own mother?"

You look panicked, whispering, "You are my mom."

Before Toriel could respond, another man spoke up. "Where are Frisk's parents? Are you even their legal guardian?"

 Toriel didn't know how to respond. Her mouth opened and closed wordlessly. Asgore said something, but you couldn't listen.

"Did Frisk run away?" "I heard they were abandoned." "Really? There was a post going around online saying Frisk had been abducted!" "The parents must be so worried!" "I heard they have been looking for him!" "How horrible--"

You looked away and there was Sans, a few feet back, standing beside the door. Though he looked relaxed, slouching with his hands in the pockets of his hoodie, he had an unreadable expression and his eye sockets were completely black. When had he arrived? Something inside you broke at seeing Sans. For some reason, knowing he was listening, you were filled with shame. He had asked you about your family before, and you had brushed him off then as well. It felt as if he was judging you.

That was the breaking point for you. A noise bubbled up in your throat, high and ugly and suspiciously sounding like a sob. No one had time to react. You had lept off the podium and barreled past Toriel and Asgore. Your face burned as you passed Sans, pointedly avoiding his gaze. There was a commotion that struck up in the room you had just left, and you felt guilty for leaving your adopted parents to take care of it. Right now, you wanted to be alone.

No, not just alone. You wanted to be invisible, deaf, blind… It was so loud. Your swift feet took you down many corridors and halls in the labyrinthine convention section of the hotel. You wanted to get lost and never be found again. It didn’t take long for you to suddenly find yourself in a closed-off wing of the second floor, ducking under the rope intended to keep people out and running into the first open room you found.

The chairs and tables were all pushed to one wall. The only light was what filtered through the dusty blinds near the left of the door. It was a large room, probably held for business meetings and such. You noted the projector pointed to the far right wall. Dust hung suspended in the air. This seemed like the perfect place to hide and calm down. You tried to get your breathing under control, left wheezing from your unexpected sprint. Sniffling, you rubbed your dripping nose on your sleeve and shuffled over to the corner furthest from the door and, in turn, furthest from the light. You slowly slid to the ground, hugging your knees to your chest. You didn't really care how much of a mess you were in that particular moment.

You didn’t want to be an ambassador anymore. No one liked you and it hurt. You buried your face in your arms, trying to hold back the tears. It didn’t last long. Deciding it didn’t matter if anyone heard you, you let yourself sob openly. At first it was quiet and soft, but at length it rose up into a wail that had you trembling. The phone Toriel had given you was humming with unchecked messages. You took it out of your pocket and threw it halfway across the room. 

Immediate regretting it, you pressed the heels of your palms into your eyes and broke off into more uncontrollable sobbing. Your face was drenched in tears and snot, but no matter how much you wiped them away, a disturbing amount managed to replace them. Rubbing your hands against the carpet, you supposed someone would clean it up eventually. You kicked yourself for not at least having the foresight to go cry in a bathroom. At least then the paper towels could chafe your nose instead of your sweater sleeve.

You felt awful for leaving your friends to clean up your mess. You had no doubt that word of this would be quick to get around. Perhaps that was why your phone was doing a little jig on the carpet with unchecked messages. You assumed someone was looking for you, then promptly hated yourself for even considering it. It was confusing, to say the least. You wanted someone to be looking for you, but at the same time you hoped they never found you. Some small, selfish part of you wanted someone to be worried about you.

When you had calmed down, after nearly half an hour, you looked up quietly. The room was the same as it had been since you came in. No one was around. You weren’t sure why you felt a tug of disappointment eating at your heart. Then you remembered. You had felt this way before; a nagging sense of aloneness that ate at you when you cried in an empty room.

This hadn’t been the first time you had run off crying before, though the last time you had done it had been years ago. No one came looking for you that time, either. Eventually you had to pick yourself off the floor and begin the shameful march back to where your parents were. You had gotten a lot of grief for being so dramatic and running off where you shouldn’t have gone. It had felt humiliating.

The same feelings of embarrassment clouded your thoughts. You stood, reluctantly, digging your fingernails into the flesh of your palm. You weren’t sure that you could face those adults again, especially not after acting like a bratty child in front of them. They would never take you seriously. And the questions. You didn’t want to answer the questions that your friends and family would ask. Slowly, before you realized it, you had sat back down. No. You weren’t going back yet. They could find you on their own if they really wanted. You were staying here for now. Remembering your phone, you crawled over and retrieved it before returning to your corner. Your hands and knees were beginning to get red from rubbing against carpet. You flipped through the missed calls, messages, and social media posts from your friends.

 

Five missed calls from: **Mom (Toriel <3) & CoolSkeleton95**

10 unread messages from: **sans, CoolSkeleton95, ALPHYS, & StrongFish91**

You liked to remind others that those were contact names they had selected, not you. You skimmed over the messages.

 

**sans:** **hey**

Nope. You weren't about to deal with that particular demon right now.

 

**CoolSkeleton95:** **HUMAN. WE, MOSTLY ME, ARE VERY VERY WORRIED ABOUT YOU! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, YOUR TRULY BEST FRIEND, HAVE PREPARED A NICE HELPING OF SPAGHETTI TO CHEER YOU UP!!! AFTER ALL, THAT IS WHAT I WOULD WANT IF I WERE IN NEED OF ‘CHEERING UP’! THAT BEING SAID, DON'T BE AFRAID TO EAT SPAGHETTI TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENT, EVEN WHEN YOU _ARE_ FEELING UP TO SNUFF!**

**CoolSkeleton95:** **NYEHEHEHEH!!!**

You couldn't help the teary smile that pushed away your frown.

 

**ALPHYS: hey so,,, i heard you were sad? i dunno, but i’m here if you need me. : ) after all, what are friends for? p.s. the girlfin says hi ; )))**

 

**StrongFish91: NGAAAHHHH!!! Sad is NOT the thing you should be doing right now! Don’t let dumb adults boss you around!!! YOU are the one in control!**

**StrongFish91: Also Alphys wanted me to tell you hi. But I mean she’s sitting right next to me texting you so I don’t really know why…?**

Alphys and Undyne were really sweet. You made a huff of amusement at their messages, mood already lifting. You summon up the courage to go back through Sans' texts.

 

**sans: kid, where are you?**

**sans: cmon toriel and king dad are worried sick.**

**sans: dont make me come look for you….**

**sans: ok fine dont say i didnt warn ya**

 

Then, your phone buzzes again just as you finish reading Sans’ recent texts.

 

**sans: knock knock**

 

As you were about to reply ‘who’s there?’, a knocking sound comes from the door and you make a very unbecoming squeaking noise, almost dropping your phone. Without waiting for your answer, Sans strolled into the room casually, hands in his pockets.

"Hey kid." He said lightly. You whimpered, face red and a little wet with fresh tears. He had looked for you. You supposed you shouldn't have been as surprised as you were. A relieved sob broke the silence. 

He held his arms open and that was all the invitation you needed. He held his ground as he was slammed into with all the force of an upset child. You closed your eyes and buried your face in his jacket. He patted your head.

"Hey, Frisk-o, don't run off like that." Sans scolded you.

You hiccuped and nodded in apology. His expression softened.

"Heh, it's alright. I'm just givin' ya a hard time for makin' me do my job. No one blames you for bein' upset. Ah, oh no, don't bring back the water works." He quickly adds when you begin to tear up again. "Toriel is gonna have enough of a fit trying to clean one sweater drenched in child tears."

He lets you calm down for a minute before holding you at arms length. "So Toriel and Asgore are pretty worried about ya. What d'ya say we head back?" You shook your head quickly. "What, no? Sheesh kid you're really givin' me a hard time here. Look, you don't even have to talk to those goons from earlier. We can just go back to the room. Sound fair?"

He pokes your ribs with his boney fingers when you give him a sigh, startling a laugh out of you.

"Ah, see? That's the music. Cmon Frisk, lighten up." He grinned and you realized his plan too late. He was tickling your ribs before you had a chance to move away. Though it was forced laughter, it still managed to lighten you up immensely. Your fears were forgotten.

"S-stop!" You squeaked, trying to free yourself from his boney grasp. When he did release you, he looked satisfied at the watery smile you gave him.

"You're makin' me do all kinds of work today, kid. I oughtta get paid for this."

"You do get paid for this." You remind him. You weren't sure how, but he did manage to get money for things he wasn't even officially hired to do. Being your unofficial bodyguard and official friend gave him plenty of reasons to slack off and still somehow be considered working. This frustrated Papyrus to no end.

"Touché." Was his response. "So, what, you gonna mope in this dusty old room all day or are you gonna come back upstairs and help me deal with my brother?" When you made a face at him, suddenly remembering that Papyrus had made spaghetti for you, he laughed heartily. "Don't worry, 'lil buddy, we can get through this together."

You took his hand. Things were okay for now.

 

In the back of your mind, though, you wondered why he looked slightly uneasy as he walked you back upstairs. You pretended not to notice him checking over his shoulder from time to time.

 


	4. Calm Before the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk and co. decide to play games instead of worrying about 'Serious Adult Stuff'. Lighthearted nonsense before it gets serious.

Upon reaching the hotel room, you could hear voices inside. They sounded like they were chattering happily. Sans gave you a wink that told you he had probably already informed them that you were alright.

"Hey, kiddo, do y'have your room key? I forgot mine." He shrugged with an apologetic grin. You fished the card out of your pocket and gave it to him.

When the door opened, the chattering ceased. An excited, barely concealed whisper could be heard inside. You felt embarrassment burning your face. You probably made them worry. Sans nudged you encouragingly.

You stepped into the hotel room. It was a decently sized room with a bed larger than a twin size off to one side, a small table, and two rooms branching off from the right and left. The bed, you noticed, was holding way more occupants than you knew it was designed for. The table, too, seemed swamped with people in the small room. That was probably because Asgore sat on one side, taking up half the space. Sitting on the bed that was clearly overcrowded was Alphys, Papyrus, and… was that Monster Kid? Yes, that was definitely Kid sitting there staring at Papyrus with starstruck eyes. Sans walked over to the table and joined Asgore as Toriel stood up.

All eyes were trained on you as you walked in, save for Kid’s. Flustered, you looked down and mumbled apologies.

Undyne, you hadn't even seen her under Alphys and Papyrus, barked out a laugh that startled you into silence. "Yo, kid! Don't get all mushy on us!"

Everyone else laughed, but not unkindly. Alphys nodded and spoke up. Realizing she was the only voice in the room, the reptilian woman’s voice got softer as she spoke. "Undyne is r-right, uh, it's o... okay? Um. Yknow... if that's alright with... everyone."

Undyne snickered and smacked Alphys on the back and you felt bad for the poor former scientist, who sputtered and flushed red. “‘Course it is, Alphy!”

Toriel, who had stood and had run over the moment you had walked in, now spoke up. You realized she had been waiting, probably to avoid interrupting everyone else. She still looked impatient before her features smoothed out into a more motherly expression. “Oh, little one! Are you alright? Your face is… somewhat of a mess.” She pointed out. “Come on, my child, let us get you washed up.” She took your hand and led you to the bathroom.

You were grateful that she didn’t pry or ask any questions. You really didn’t want to talk about it. The look she was giving you, though, told you that she would ask eventually, just not now. As you expected, she looked horrified when she noticed your dirty sweater sleeves. She was quick to get you to change into another (striped) sweatshirt. She looked like she either wanted to burn your dirty sweater or scrub it until all the color bled out. It was a good thing she didn’t see the mess you left on the carpet when your sleeves got too wet. (It was gross to think about, but you were a kid, so you didn’t really care all that much.)

Returning to the main room, your friends had all piled together on the floor beside the bed. They had even pushed the table aside, you noticed, and Asgore was sitting in the doorway to the separate bedroom. You weren’t really sure what they were doing, so you approached the loud group hesitantly. Papyrus was the first to notice your return, and pulled you down to sit next to him in the circle.

“Yo kiddo, we got bored waiting so we decided to play a game.” Sans sat on the other side of you.

“Small human! I do hope you will join us! We are playing a human game called ‘tele-phone’! Alphys told us about how it works! First, you phone some person named ‘Tele’, and--” Undyne cut him off before he completely butchered the meaning of the game.

“It’s basically a game where one person thinks of something completely ridiculous and whispers it to the person next to them. Then that person has’ta remember what they whispered and repeat it to the person next to THEM, and it goes around in a circle until the dude on the other side of the starter person has to repeat what was said aloud. Then we all make fun of them and laugh about how messed up the original thing said got.” You wondered if she had even taken a breath through her explanation.

Alphys chimed in. “O-oh and you can’t repeat what you whispered if they didn’t hear you.”

Papyrus looked confused. “Why do they call it ‘tele-phone’ if you don’t even call anyone? Humans are weird! No offense, human.”

You remembered playing a game similar to this in second or third grade. It sounded fun, and it was a great way to get your mind off all the negative stuff.

“ALRIGHT CHUMPS!” Undyne shouted, causing a few of you to jump in surprise. “Let’s get this started! I vote that Asgore goes first!” She pumped her fist.

“Uhh, haha, wait -- I am playing?” Asgore glanced at Toriel, who had gone to sit on the bed to watch, for help. Toriel gave him the cold shoulder. Ooh… harsh.

“‘Course you are, Fluffybuns!” Undyne cackled. Neither former rulers of the Underground looked very pleased by the nickname. It probably brought back memories.

“Ah… alright then. So I just whisper it to…?”

“Alphys, duh! And she whispers to me, I whisper to Papyrus, and so on!” Undyne gestured, her grin in full force. Still looking uncertain, Asgore leaned over and mumbled something into Alphys’... well, wherever her ear should have been. He looked rather comical, with his exaggerated gesture of hiding his mouth with one hand. Alphys seemed to be having a small aneurysm with Asgore being that close, but she calmed down once he had leaned back.

And with that, the game was in motion. Alphys quietly stammered something to Undyne, who laughed brazenly and grinned her response to Papyrus. You observed the exchange, feeling a little excited since your turn was next. Papyrus turned to you nervously, grinning in a way that almost looked sheepish.

You extended your ear to him, gesturing that you were listening.

“Uh, I am not sure if I heard this correctly, however… ‘Sinner mend better slice of cake’?”

You made a clear expression of confusion and he shrugged apologetically. You were certain that was NOT what Asgore originally said, but that only fueled your excitement as you whispered what you heard to Sans. He snorted and you felt proud. He comically gestured Kid over, who nearly doubled over laughing from what he heard. “C’mon, Kid, don’t hold out on us. Tell us what it was.”

Still snickering, Kid stood up and said, “Sinner men debt or eyes to take?”

You weren’t sure you’d ever heard Asgore laugh so heartily before. Even Toriel looked like she was enjoying herself. It filled you with a warmth you couldn’t describe, feeling such intense affection for your mother and father…. Was this love?

“Oh, no, no,” said Asgore between chuckles, “I said ‘Cinnamon-Butterscotch pies are hard to make.’” Toriel snorted a little too hard, but shrugged off Asgore's questioning glance.

“Wow how did you mess that up so badly?” Undyne cackled, falling back and trying to breathe. Alphys was smiling but she pretended to look put-out. “I mean, I could’ve sworn you said ‘Sin men and butterflies bake a cake’!”

“Wh-what? Nuh uh!” She protested.

“Wait you DID NOT say ‘Sinner men end buttered flies to take’?” Papyrus looked genuinely upset, which only made everyone laugh harder.

“That doesn’t even make sense!” Undyne argued.

"Neither did what you just said!" Papyrus looked at you, distraught. You were grinning and you had little tears in the corners of your eyes from laughing so hard. “I apologize, human! I, the great Papyrus, have failed you!”

The room seemed to quiet down enough to hear you respond, “It’s okay, Paps… I thought you said ‘Sinner mend better slice of cake.’” And the room rioted with laughter once more.

The rest of the night went like that, with little distorted phrases making their rounds around the group until you were all rolling on the floor snickering and snorting. Eventually, you all decided to play another word game. Before you got done with that round, however, Papyrus unexpectedly found himself a boney pillow for a sleepy child. You had begun dozing long before it was your turn, and the rest of the group seemed to notice before you did. They had quieted considerably, but you were already lightly snoring against Papyrus’ humerus.

You weren’t sure when, but you felt soft arms pick you up and carry you. It reminded you of when your mom used to carry you to your bed when you were very young. You remembered pretending to fall asleep on the couch just so your mother would carry you to bed. It was a safe, gentle memory that warmed your heart. With every quiet footstep, you embraced the feeling and let yourself enjoy this small childhood joy. Even though you were being forced to grow up quickly, you wouldn’t let this small part of you go; the part that acknowledged your youth and clung to it like a lifeline. If you slipped, you’d never get it back.

**That was probably what terrified you the most.**


	5. The Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What has Sans so on edge? The world may never know.

Today was a new day. The hotel room was quiet when you awoke. The blackout curtains had been drawn over the windows sometime during the night. You felt the weight of a heavy comforter around you, coupled with too soft pillows and warm sheets. You expected to be way too hot, since you were used to waking up stifled with your blankets tucked around you. But someone had turned the AC on full blast and you were reluctant to leave your warm cocoon.

Deciding to take stock of your surroundings, you noted that most of your friends last night had left. You heard a familiar snoring coming from the couch, which had been pulled out to become a bed. Asgore made the wide mattress look tiny under his bulk. You felt a little bad, but you knew that Toriel wasn't about to share beds with him.

Speaking of... Your mother lay on the other side of the bed, quietly reading. She had little reading glasses perched on her snout and the lamp beside her was flicked on, filling the room with a warm glow. You noticed the digital clock beside her read 6:45 AM. No wonder you felt so tired. You were almost certain it had been past ten when you were carted off to bed.

Toriel, seeming to notice you were awake, gave you a gentle smile. She spoke in a hushed voice, polite enough to not wake Asgore. "Why don't you go wake Sans and Papyrus and head down for breakfast?" She suggested.

Though you were positive Sans would decline, you nodded and slipped out of the bed, feeling dwarfed by its size. You remembered noting that the bed was larger than a twin, but now you were certain that it was actually larger than a full.

You shuffled into the attached bedroom, wearing your pyjamas you had sleepily been coerced into before bed. The separate bedroom was much smaller with a bunk bed and dresser on either wall. Sans was sleeping on the bottom bed, already managing to somehow create a mess in his wake. Socks were everywhere. How scandalous.

Stepping over the socks, you approached where Sans slept and tapped on his shoulder. When he didn't budge, you shook him. Still nothing. Sighing, you knocked your knuckles against his bony forehead.

Sans groaned and peeked one dark eyesocket up at you. "... What is it, kiddo?"

"Breakfast." You whispered, rocking back on your heels.

Sans closed his eyes again and you huffed. He grinned at the sound. "Bring me back something." he snickered when you made a noise of absolute disbelief. How could he be so lazy? You made no promises as you climbed the ladder onto Papyrus' bed.

He was much easier to rouse. One tap and he was sitting up, startling you. He was, as you expected, wearing his "battle body" armour. You pointed to the door, then your stomach. He seemed to understand what you were implying.

You climbed down from the bed and he followed after you. He stopped, hands on his hips, when he saw that Sans was still sleeping. When he glanced at you with a single browbone raised, you shrugged and shook your head. You could have sworn Sans' grin grew wider at the sound of his brother huffing, much like you had.

As Papyrus got ready to head downstairs, you shuffled back into the front room to put on your slippers. Toriel looked amused. It was probably your mussed hair which stuck up at odd angles, but you couldn't bring yourself to care. You would fix it later. And who cared if you were still in your striped sheep pyjamas? Well, maybe those stuffy important men in business suits…

Shortly after, you and Papyrus headed out.

 

The breakfast area downstairs was quiet, with only one other person sitting at a table in the back. You and Papyrus ate quietly. Sans joined you a little while later with a plate of scrambled eggs drowned in ketchup. It was nice being able to sit there with your friends, even if Sans didn’t seem particularly invested in the conversation you were having. Actually, he looked tense, the lights in his eyes occasionally flicking over your shoulder. You wanted to look, an uncomfortable feeling crawling on your back, but something told you it wouldn’t be a good idea.

 

* * *

 

Today was the last day of the conference. There were several discussions you were supposed to sit on and debate. Well, debate wasn't exactly the right term. People would listen to some proposed legal jargon and then argue for several hours over it. Sometimes the topics went right over your head and you had no idea what the right thing to say was. It was nice to have Toriel or Asgore by your side when that happened. At least the people in these discussions weren’t as prying or pushy as the journalists seemed to be.

 

Toriel ruffled your hair. You groaned and tried to smooth it down back in place, but to no avail. You were dressed in your trademark striped sweater and jeans. In an attempt to appear more professional, you had asked Papyrus to tie a red bowtie on you and had even put on your nice black dress shoes. Toriel had just giggled and gave you a fond look that said she found it endearing but questioned your fashion sense.

Though the adults who attended the conference were all rather stern and serious, a lot of them were nice to you and spoke respectfully. The first day you had arrived and everyone was introducing themselves, you had been painfully nervous and shy and Toriel had a hard time detaching you from her leg. The tall stuffy men and women in business suits had smelled like shoe polish and office coffee and intimidated you. However, when one man crouched down so that he was eye-level and smiled as he asked for your time, you realized that these strangers weren’t very different from the monsters in the Underground. He had been very warm and seemed genuinely pleased to meet you when you shook his hand. The rest of the introductions had been a blur of faces and smiles and “oh what a darling”s.

Yesterday’s storm of questions that had sent you running from the room had been asked by people very different from the politicians you had met. It had been a meeting with many reporters and journalists, and they were quick to get to business. You were relieved that they weren’t going to be at the meetings discussing the future of monsterkind. You felt it would be rather disastrous.

 

The first topic was presented by Toriel. It was on the subject of equal education and segregation between humans and monsters. You stood beside her as she gave her presentation and was enamoured by her charisma. As she spoke, you admired how strong she seemed, and hoped you could also garner as much respect and awe that she did. She had total control of the room, which you found very impressive.

“Ah, and that seems to be the end of the ‘power point.’ Any questions?” She turned to the table that she stood at the head of. “Yes, Mr. Davis, I believe?”

She gestured to a grey-haired man sitting near the back. His eyes were steely and almost colorless and he looked like he was just this side of ancient. Something about him reminded you of what you’d expect a grandfather to look like.

“Yes,” his voice was dry and soft, like a suggestion of a whisper and you had to strain to hear it, “our constituents are concerned with the the tax increases such a proposal would entail…” And you started zoning out there. The words he used were all official-sounding, dull, and hard to follow. The following questions and responses were all of a similar caliber that you didn’t even want to begin to understand. Toriel answered them in turn with the same level of professionalism you knew you couldn’t begin to match.

Then it became your turn to speak on the issue, and suddenly you were nervous. Toriel was a tough act to follow. She put a firm hand on your shoulder and gave you an encouraging smile and you felt a little more empowered.

You remembered discussing with Undyne and Toriel about the problem that the humans were having with monsters integrating into society. You didn’t really understand why people were so against new things.

That same old man from before spoke up, as if to prompt you to join the discussion. “The public opinion is that monsters and humans should be segregated, with monsters living apart from the humans in their own cities and schools.” He paused, coughing a little. “Ambassador, what is your take on this issue?”

You floundered, a little panicked. The room was quiet and all eyes were on you. They expected you to say something. Though you were shy, you were determined to let your voice be heard. Even if it was only a little. “I… think it’s stupid.”

Several jaws dropped in the room and a few people coughed. Toriel raised her eyebrows. You felt your face get warm.

“Uh, mind… would you mind elaborating?” A woman broke the silence, clearing her voice. She winked and gave you a secret thumbs up. You were a little flustered but grateful for her help to ease your nervousness.

“Well… I don’t think it’s fair to separate monsters from humans now. ‘Cause they were already apart for so long.” You began, suddenly very conscious of your voice. This was one of those rare occasions where you spoke more than you usually did. “And… it’s not like they’re hurting anybody.” You shrugged, mumbling the last few words and keeping your eyes on the ground.

“People are scared and they don’t know if monsters pose a threat to them or not. Many are upset that they may lose their jobs to monsters. There have been protests against letting monster kids attend human schools.” A man shuffled his papers, waiting for your response.

“It’s been a year. If people haven’t realized that monsters aren’t a threat already, they probably haven’t been paying attention...” You began, earning yourself a few amused chuckles and one angry ‘hmph’. You continued. “And… and anyway. Um. Monsters can do plenty more things that humans can’t so… maybe sometimes it’s a good thing having them do jobs that are difficult for humans?”

“What about monster segregation in schools? People don’t want to send their children to schools with monsters in them!”

“U-uh…” You weren’t sure what they were trying to ask. Did they want you to solve the problem? You were still a grade-schooler yourself! “I… think maybe don’t discriminate against monsters-- I mean, isn’t this kinda like when people were segregated for their skin color?”

“Are you comparing the suffering of African Americans to monsters?!” Someone protested.

“That’s an outrageous comparison!” Another man yelled.

You were about to shrink away and close your mouth, but a strong, supportive hand on your shoulder kept you grounded. Toriel was looking at you with an encouraging smile. You squared your shoulders, set your jaw, and stepped forward.

“Quiet!” While you hadn’t shouted, your voice was forceful and determined. The room hushed and everyone looked surprised at you. “You guys are getting angry because what I’m saying makes sense. And I get it; the truth can really hurt and new things are scary. But if the monsters had let those things stop them, like you guys are doing, then they would never have left the underground! And the aboveground world would keep going on the way it always had and missed out on a beautiful opportunity to learn new things and make friends and allies!”

You put your hands on your hips and stared the room down. “So you should be ashamed of yourselves! Hating something just because you’re scared of it doesn’t make it right. This earth isn’t just yours. Humans have forgotten this after years of self-praise and ignorance. It’s… really disappointing.”

You had run out of steam. You had never lectured anyone before, let alone a group of powerful adults. While it was terrifying, you felt exhilarated. Some of them were staring at you in awe, a few were smiling just a little, and a couple hung their heads shamefully. There were one or two people who just continued looking angry. You remembered hearing somewhere that you could never please everybody, so you didn’t let it bother you.

You looked up at Toriel and was taken aback by her proud grin. She smiled and pulled you into a crushing hug. “I am proud of you, my child.”

The rest of the meeting was about policies and new laws. Most of it went over your head, but you felt accomplished. At the end, several of the people came up and apologized for their rash behavior. You smiled patiently.

 

* * *

 

 

A few hours later, the conference ended. You suspected Sans’ suspicious behavior was just him overreacting. After all, nothing had happened the whole weekend. As you went back upstairs to help clean up the room, however, that creepy feeling of being watched came over you again.

You paused, stepping off of the elevator. Glancing back as the doors closed, you swore you saw a flash of yellow behind you. A shiver crept up your spine. You were sure that no one else had been in there with you. Taking a deep breath, you shook it off. It’s just nerves, you reasoned.

But still… no. No you couldn’t let yourself get uneasy! That just led to paranoid thoughts. You kept walking down the hall. When you reached the door, you could tell something was definitely wrong. There weren’t any voices coming from inside the room, and you were certain at least Papyrus or Asgore were supposed to be in there. Trying the door, you remembered you needed a key. Duh. Smiling at your silliness, you reached for it-- your smile withered.

It had been in your pocket, right? It wasn’t in your lanyard either… Oh, wait, Sans. He had asked to borrow it before, hadn’t he? Last night. You don’t remember him handing it back.

You knocked, trying to stay calm.

No one answered.

Reaching to grab your phone, you realized it was gone as well. Now you were certain something was wrong. You had texted Toriel just half an hour ago! What was going on? A buzzing white noise that you hadn’t noticed earlier suddenly got unbearably distracting.

A light breeze swept behind you. You tensed, breathing suddenly shallow. A breath of air that sounded suspiciously like a chuckle hissed against the back of your neck. This time, you shrieked and whirled around. Time seemed to slow. Brown eyes met red ones. White teeth, colored cheeks, pink lips curled into a crude mockery of a smile… A green sweater with a yellow stripe.

No. They couldn’t be here. You tried to take a step back, but your legs were frozen in place. Tears pricked your eyes at the hand that reached up to caress the side of your face--

 

**Frisk. It is only a dream. Wake up.**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got to 7 pages and decided I needed to post the chapter soon, but ending chapters may be the hardest part. Sorry, I hate cliffhangers too! Thank you all for your positive comments! They keep me determined to keep writing this story.


	6. Intertwined

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You're afraid to say the name of the one you saw. Can they see the color your soul has turned?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oop I haven’t updated since last year? Whoa dang. First I got tendinitis and then finals were taking up all my time and I just didn't want to write ever again. So sorry for leaving yall on a cliffhanger for so long!  
> Comments keep me determined <3

You shot up with a jolt, a thrill of terror racing down your spine. Panting and covered in a sheen of cold sweat, you tried to take stock of your surroundings. It had been a nightmare, you rationalized, but it was odd because you were still in the hall by your room door. The only thing that had changed since you woke up was that you were now sitting on the ground, oh and there was a skeleton kneeling down in front of you.

He looked concerned, the darkness in his eye sockets betraying his casual grin. “Hey kid, you alright?”

Still bleary and confused, you made a shrugging gesture and got to your feet, dusting yourself off to buy some time and avoid Sans’ stare. “I fell asleep.” you offered quietly. Sans arched a bony brow ridge at you, but didn’t say anything further. He offered you something; it took you a moment to recognize your room key.

“Sorry I locked you out, kiddo. I think Papyrus and Toriel are in there though. Why didn't you just knock?” At your bewildered expression, he paused. “...You aren't lookin’ too hot, kid. What's eating ya?”

This time, you shook your head and shoved your hands into your pockets. If you couldn't even make sense of it yourself, explaining it to Sans would have just been a mess. Plus, you didn't want to mention just  _ who _ you thought you had seen before being startled awake. Sans didn't need a reminder of those demons.

Now that you were less disoriented, though still a fair bit puzzled, you heard voices coming from inside the room. This was a stark contrast from the nightmare. It was just a nightmare, you decided.

Unlocking the door, you entered to find Toriel and Papyrus nearly done with all of the packing. You felt guilty, but reasoned that it was hardly your fault for… passing out?

“Human! I see you were with my brother! Did he coerce you into being lazy with him?” Papyrus shot the two of you a disapproving look, hands on his hips.

You were about to apologize and correct him when Sans interrupted. “Boy, you caught us, Paps. Sorry I held the kid up. I didn't mean to leave you guys hanging too.” He winked and Toriel snickered.

Papyrus shook his head, giving them a reluctant smile. “That was a stretch, even for you, brother.”

“Eh, knot one of my best, but I can only  _ tie _ .”

Papyrus made a sharp noise that sounded like his teeth suddenly scraping together. Toriel howled with laughter, apparently finding the whole situation hilarious. It was endearing; almost enough to make you forget your recent experience. Almost.

 

“My child, help me check to see that we have not forgotten any items.” Toriel, who was sitting on the large bed folding the rest of her clothes, gently roused you from your haze. You nodded and disappeared into the side bedroom to look around.

You needed to check  _ all the drawers _ , you reasoned. After all, who knew what weird thing Sans might have hid in there? You didn’t find anything until you reached the bottom drawer, where a single humerus bone sat. Confused, you picked it up and frowned at it.

“Well, that does seem tibia problem…” Sans chuckled from the doorway. Startled, you shot a cold stare at him. He shrugged and called for his brother. “Hey Papyrus, kid found one of your spare bones lying around. I don’t think they found it very… humerus.” His grin widened impossibly further. You couldn’t help but smile too. No matter how stubborn you could be, lame puns would always make you crack.

Papyrus entered the room with a narrowed look at Sans, though he was smiling just a little as well when he saw you sitting there with the humerus in your hands. “Well I see you weren’t telling me a…. fibula.” He proceeded to put his hands on his hips and cackle at his own joke. “NYEHEHEHEH! Ahem… I’ll take that off your hands, tiny human.” You offered the bone up to him. With his object in hand, he swiftly left the room, looking a little too proud of himself.

“Man… isn’t my brother the coolest?” Sans laughed softly. As he turned to leave, you stopped him.

“Hey--” you frowned, “why… did Papyrus bring his bone attacks?”

Sans turned fully back to face you. He had an indescribable look on his face. “Heh, kid, I’m a little impressed you could tell what it was.”

 

_He’s avoiding the subject._

 

“Sans… what aren’t you telling me?”

He shrugged with his palms facing you, meeting your frown with a careless grin on his face. “Sorry, but you’ve gotta be this tall to ride the adult train, so unless you wanna fall off and get hurt, I’d suggest you leave it at that.”

 

_He’s patronizing you._

 

You shrugged off the dark thoughts and kept quiet, feeling a little hurt when Sans said nothing more about it and walked away. A small voice in the back of your mind urged you to keep asking questions, to press Sans for information, but you didn’t listen. Sometimes it was better not knowing… and you really didn’t want to get on his bad side, anyway. Continuing your search for stray or forgotten items, you got down on your hands and knees to check under the bed. It was unusually dark, so you leaned forward and squinted in an attempt to see if anything had rolled under there.

A chill stabbed your heart when your eyes adjusted to the darkness, making out the features of a face staring directly back at you.

 

**Don’t ignore me, Frisk.**

 

Thrills of terror shooting down your spine, you shrieked and fell back. Everyone rushed into the room to find you staring at the bed in horror, trembling just a little. Papyrus followed your eyes to the bed, where he crouched down to check underneath. The darkness seemed inexplicably lighter now than before, you noted. Reaching under the bed, Papyrus pulled out a golden chain. Puzzled, he glanced at you.

“Human, is this what frightened you?” Holding up the chain, you could see a small golden heart attached. It was the locket from the underground room. You felt sick. You knew for a fact that that very locket had been left with Asriel after the barrier was destroyed. “This is a harmless necklace! But never fear-- I, the great royal guardsman Papyrus, have come to your rescue yet again!”

While he was congratulating himself, Toriel kneeled beside you and rested a paw on your shoulder. “Little one, are you alright? You look as if you've seen a ghost.”

“S-sorry, momma, I thought I saw something…” Worried she might recognize the necklace, you quickly took it from Papyrus when he offered it and stashed it in your pocket. "This room is all clear." You put your hands on your hips and nodded in a way that you hoped looked more confident than you felt. There was no need to get them worried about you.

Relieved, Toriel stood and ruffled your hair, despite your protests. "Good work, my dear. Then we are finished. Boys, if you wouldn't mind helping carry the bags?" Papyrus sprang to his feet and tripped over himself in his eagerness to please the former queen. Sans was a little slower, giving you an unconvinced glance before joining his brother. Instead of helping, however, he just leaned against the couch and watched.

It wasn't very long after Papyrus left to grab a luggage trolley that Undyne and Asgore appeared to help. They took over the rest of the work and everything was ready to go. 

You were finally going back home to Ebott.

Something didn't feel right. You felt a weird sort of excitement that didn't quite feel like your own. It made you uneasy. Something was wrong. More than one something, you guessed. You needed to take a trip underground. A part of you recoiled at the thought, but that only made you more determined in your decision.

Asrie-- no, Flowey could answer your questions. That is, given he doesn't try to kill you first.


End file.
